Show and Tell
by ForeverFreelancer
Summary: Neyla takes Sly up on his offer for that date in Bollywood. And he's all for partaking completely in what he promised in that little proposition he made to her. As the night carries on, well-placed encouragement of varying kinds may knock down a few barriers. One-shot? -Gift for BananaB0mb-


_Has it really been six years since I wrote Sly/Neyla? Wow..._

 _Well, the snake of inspiration strikes again. I got the idea a week or so ago and it just wouldn't leave me until I wrote it all down. It mainly sparked after I stumbled upon artwork on DA titled "A Night in Bollywood" by the very talented Sofie-Spangenberg. Go check out her stuff if you haven't, it's lovely!_

 _This one's dedicated to you_ _ **BananaB0mb**!_ _Thank you for always reviewing my stories, after all these years._

 _I highly recommend you also check out some traditional Bollywood dance videos before diving into this thing._ _Big_ _emphasis on traditional. And maybe look at some pictures of Mumbai. Every place or landmark mentioned here exists in real life. You don't have to, but it will help tremendously with visualizing this fun little outing. It certainly helped me create it!_

 _ **9/26/18:** Hey all! I will no longer be responding to guest reviews. I thoroughly appreciate any feedback given to me and am super grateful, please please know that. Buuut my A/Ns are starting to get way too wordy. XD And it will flow more smoothly if I can stick to communicating with you all through PMs instead. Thank you for understanding! I appreciate every single one of you that read my work, fav, follow, everything! It really does mean the world to me. _

* * *

Show and Tell

* * *

She wasn't coming. The tables had turned and he was the one on the receiving end of a cruel hoodwinking. Perhaps, after all the years of scaling the tightrope of morality, karma had finally caught up to the ever elusive Sly Cooper.

A quick glance up at the clock built into the center stone pillar of the magnificent Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or the CST station for short, told him it was a quarter past six. They were supposed to meet up fifteen minutes ago. He'd even fixed up for the occasion. He frowned, looking down and tugging at the collar of his off-white dress shirt, boredly plucking a stray piece of lint off his black slacks.

Knees hugged to his chest, ringed tail curled around his side, he watched from his spot on the rooftop as the clusters of tourists and locals gathered on the cobblestone street and scattered all along the sidewalk.

A sigh threatening to find its way out of the crestfallen raccoon's muzzle, he began to rise to his feet again, when his ears twitched at the unmistakable sound of feet touching down on the roof nearby.

"Leaving already, Cooper?" her alluring voice asked. "Pity. I just got here."

He turned, face lighting up as out of the spired roof's shadow, Neyla approached.

It went without saying that the tigress looked absolutely stunning. The familiar red and gold hijab sat poised on her shoulders, the fabric framing her feline face, and to correspond with it, she wore a form-fitting sari of an identical color scheme.

"I…I thought you might not show," he admitted, brightened brown eyes and charming yet smitten smile both signs of relief at finding his worries disproved.

A playful mirth swirled in deep green irises as she smirked, easily picking up on how he wordlessly admired her, striped tail slowly curling and uncurling behind her. "I said we were on for this. I wouldn't have wasted my breath if I wasn't serious." The fabric of her hijab gently blew in the wind as she crossed her arms. "Forgive me, for being late…" Were her ears not concealed by her headpiece, they could've easily been seen as she drew them back and looked away. "I had something else I had to see to before I could make the trip here." Leaving it at that, her gaze drifted back up to meet his. "But no, standing you up was never part of the plan. I have my flaws, just like anyone else, but I have no desire to play around with your heart. What I told you back in the jungle is a notion I defend, and I suspect you do as well."

It took a few moments, for everything she said to register. But when it did, the raccoon nodded. "I do. And just so we're clear, I have no intention of playing with your affections either. That's not how I operate. I might be a thief, but I'm not the casual-hookup-womanizing type."

Her lips curved into another small smile and she lifted a finger, gently pressing it to the thief's own lips.

"Words can only take you so far, Cooper. Why not let your actions do the talking for you this time?"

He mirrored her expression, smiling back. "Gladly."

They stealthily slipped down from the roof and back to ground level. Then, hand in hand, the two ran about, exploring the lively streets of Mumbai. Seldom did Sly come to an extravagant city and a heist not be his main priority. This was a rather nice change.

Clumps of tourists gawked and pointed at the many sights the gorgeous city had to offer. But it was the locals who commanded the exotic turf. The young beauties could be seen at every corner, laughing and chattering amongst each other, all dressed in bright, flowing fabrics, and jewelry adorning every neck and wrist in view. Music filled the streets, lights and sounds beckoning newcomers to come a little closer.

Sly was hit by a wave of exhilaration, entranced by the lively atmosphere and all the sights and sounds grabbing hold of his senses.

Neyla watched the raccoon take everything in, the flame of curiosity sparking inside her. "What do you think?" she asked.

"I've just…never seen anything like it..." He turned his attention back to the tigress and he momentarily forgot how to speak when their gazes collided. And forming words didn't become any easier when his eyes moved from her face to her slender figure. "…ever."

Pleased with knowing she'd made him lose his train of thought, she smiled, long thin tail swinging in amused arcs. "Well…I hope there's more you had in mind for this date of ours than simply…sightseeing." She flashed a grin to accompany her jest.

"Oh, trust me, I have big plans." He fished a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it, handing it to her. "We just have to find this little address here."

Neyla's eyes widened slightly. "This is the Bollywood film studio location."

Sly nodded. "Yep. That's the place."

Her eyebrows quirked. "And what, exactly, is the reason for taking me there?" she questioned.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sly teased with one of his devious smiles. "We're going to sneak onto the set of the movie they're filming tonight. I offered a chance to dance through Bollywood with you. So, here it is."

Neyla didn't answer at first, but it was evident from her features that she was intrigued.

"Thoughts?" Sly prompted, eager for some feedback.

"…that…sounds incredibly risky…" Slowly, an impish gleam appeared in her eyes. "I'm game."

[][][]

The couple hitched a ride on a bus that took them through the city and into the heart of the illustrious filmmaking sector, Film City. Also known as the one and only: Bollywood.

After the bus ride, Sly and Neyla fell back into step with the crowd, resuming their trek on foot.

Sly took one of Neyla's hands and he could feel her stiffen at the small action.

Looking back over his shoulder, light from the nearby lamp post reflecting in his gaze, he smiled back at her. "Wouldn't wanna lose a beauty like you in a crowd like this," he explained, ringed tail flicking about.

How long had it been, since she'd allowed a guy to hold her hand? Memory wasn't doing the greatest job of serving her as she tried to recall. But wow, did it feel nice.

She found herself grinning excitedly as they gripped each other's hands and weaved through the crowd.

The film studio was enormous, a place where you could easily get lost if you didn't know where you going. Set crew could be seen coming and going from every direction imaginable, some carrying props or costumes, others briskly walking past, speaking into their headsets.

And Sly couldn't understand a single word of what was being said.

Which wasn't a problem, per se.

That is until they bumped into someone sporting one of those headsets. The tall bison was clutching a clipboard and looked none too pleased. She jabbed her pen at their faces and began to express her disapproval about…something. But the ringtailed thief, not knowing an ounce of the language spoken, was at a total loss.

It was the tigress who ended up saving the day, or the night, technically, as she stepped forward.

Sly's jaw dropped as a string of perfectly spoken Hindi fell effortlessly off of the feline's lips. She placed her hands on her chest, gesturing to herself, and then to Sly, looking and sounding very remorseful, and convincingly so.

The broad-shouldered bison flared her nostrils, tapping her pen against her clipboard before replying. She sounded much less angry this time around, though still slightly annoyed.

Neyla nodded, saying something that Sly could only guess was something akin to 'thank you and goodbye' but truthfully? He hadn't a clue. Then the tigress took Sly's wrist and quickly led him down a neighboring hallway.

And they didn't stop until they got to the wardrobe department. When the labeled doorway came into view, the tigress slowed and pressed her back to the wall, allowing herself a moment of laughter, palms laid against the stone surface of the wall she stood against. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back. "That was certainly close. You're lucky I was here."

"No kidding," said Sly, staring back at her in utter disbelief. "How did…what was all that about back there anyway?"

"Oh, that was most likely one of the stage managers. She wasn't very happy to see that neither of us are in costume yet. So I fabricated a story about how we'd been stuck in traffic. She was satisfied with that, but told us we need to get a move on. They've already starting filming one of the scenes."

When Sly couldn't bring himself to respond with anything but that same open-mouthed stare, Neyla frowned. "What?" she asked.

"I just…that was amazing, that's all."

"Come now, Sly," said the tigress, pointing to her head attire. "I don't wear this hijab just because it looks nice, you know." Her serpentine tail flicked up and playfully brushed across the raccoon's nose.

And then she was off again, strolling towards the wardrobe department ahead, and Sly could barely keep his eyes off her until the second she had slipped past those double doors.

The two had to part ways to find costumes. But they'd scoped out the set, a very elaborate one at that, and decided to meet behind the two-story structure on the far left.

But first, there was a game of dress-up to be played.

Neyla snuck into one of the dressing rooms where costumes were kept for the extras. Best to steer clear of the main cast dressing rooms as security would no doubt be even tighter there.

The room was vacant, what with everyone probably already on set, so she was free to sift through what was still up for grabs. And, well...pickings were slim.

She managed to unearth a hot pink outfit that fit her frame well. Pink wasn't her favorite color, admittedly, but it would complement her lavender and violet coat nicely, at least. And the cut of the top was flattering, tightly hugging her shoulders and chest, exposing her lean midriff in a much similar fashion as her undercover ensemble. The skirt was ruffled, each layer flaring out underneath the one above it, a shimmering gold material stitched into the flowing fabric. Around the waist sat a thin hip scarf and a band of gold coins and beads, a familiar design for a Bollywood dancer's costume, and the skirt's hem stopped at the ankles.

Giving the gold sandals she was already wearing a quick once-over, she decided they matched enough to stay put. She didn't really have the time to go on a shoe hunt anyway.

Lastly, to complete the look, she'd found bangles, gold-plated chandelier earrings, and a simple but elegant maang tikka headpiece. Removing her hijab, and freeing her midnight black locks, she replaced her personal accessory with the jeweled headpiece, lining the chain down the center of her hairline. The teardrop jewel sat in the center of her forehead.

Studying herself in the mirror of one of several vanity tables lining the wall, she turned this way and that. The tigress finally shrugged, thinking she looked the part well enough.

She'd only gotten halfway to the set when she was stopped by a langur. The blonde primate scrutinized her face, adjusting her glasses as she zeroed in on every detail. With a quick shake of her head, she beckoned the tigress to follow her.

Neyla bit back a groan, hiding her displeasure upon realizing where she was being taken now.

Sly didn't have to add much to his look, but he did change, just so he wouldn't stick out. He settled on a basic black shirt with gold buttons and matching pants and shoes. He'd noticed that everyone in costume had a red circle on their forehead, one he'd seen those of Neyla's culture wear, but he didn't know what it meant. Nonetheless, he'd duplicated the look as best he could.

He stood behind the structure of the massive set, looking up when his date appeared from around the corner. And his jaw fell open once more when he saw her. Only this time, it hit the floor.

Neyla walked forward, pursing her lips, which were now a stunning shade of pink. Her eyes had now been accentuated by a shade of gold eyeshadow and dramatic wings of expertly applied eyeliner, as well as blush dabbed to each striped cheek.

"Someone from makeup snagged me," she said, gesturing to her face. " _This_ wasn't my own doing."

His heartbeat had disobeyed its own rhythm, skipping to a beat all its own as he drank in the sight of the tigress standing in front of him. She looked lovely before, but now? Now she was a sight to behold, no question.

"Neyla, you look amazing," he managed to say when his mind and mouth could form words again.

"Oh, and I didn't before?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"What? No, no you did!" he backpedaled. "I just mean that now…and with the outfit, a-and the jewelry…I-I didn't mean—"

The tigress giggled quietly as she listened to the raccoon stumbling over his words like a teen talking to his crush. "I'm only teasing, Sly." She took note of the red dot on his forehead, and the flashy but appealing costume. "You don't look so bad yourself. I'm impressed to see you wearing the bindi mark. Nice touch."

"You talking about this thing?" he asked, pointing to it. "I just saw everyone else wearing it so I figured I should too. Can I ask, what exactly does it represent?"

She gave the raccoon a gentle smile. "It can mean different things. Girls wear them as a symbol to show that they're married. But it's also something that's supposed to represent your third eye. The space between your eyebrows is believed to be where the sixth chakra lies, which is one of your spiritual centers and the place where concealed wisdom is found. It's an outlet for energy, and applying the mark to this space is said to help retain that energy and help with concentration. It's also a symbol of good fortune and some even believe it protects you from evil spirits."

Sly was taken aback and suddenly filled with a reverent fascination. She didn't just wear the clothes and speak the language; she knew the history too.

There was certainly more to this feline than meets the eye.

"Well come on then," she said, pulling him from his musings and leading him up the nearby spiral staircase. "Let's go find us an unclaimed spot."

The set was a full three-stories and built to look like a courtyard surrounded by several upscale houses. Strands of lights and clotheslines spanned across the gaps of the artificial buildings. Potted plants and palm trees decorated various alcoves. There was even a working fountain at the courtyard's center.

Sly and Neyla found a section of balcony that was out of direct sight, while still providing a great view of what was going on down in the courtyard with the movie's main cast.

And based on how one female in particular was dressed, her look more extravagant than anyone else's, it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was the leading lady. The curvy palm civet stood next to a handsome gazelle. The director was talking to them, making these larger-than-life gestures, pointing to one and then the other.

"I have no idea what they're saying," said Sly. "But it sounds elegant."

Standing next to Sly, Neyla watched the couple review a bit of blocking with the director. "So the guy there, whose name is apparently Aadhira, is trying to impress the girl, Shaili," she translated. "But she's playing hard to get. In this scene, every time he tries to get close, she manages to slip away."

"Well that's no fun," Sly decided.

Pointedly ignoring that this was how it always seemed to go with the master thief and Carmelita, only backwards, she shrugged. "They turn it into something fun. The style of dance is usually quirky but very interactive if couples are involved. The ebb and flow of it all is rather invigorating. In my opinion, anyways."

"Guess I'll have to see for myself what I think."

Neyla was right; the dancing, while something that Sly found a tad silly, was also very fun to watch! As the music from the soundtrack began to play, the civet and gazelle danced around the courtyard, singing their parts and giving one another flirty looks all the while. She would playfully hide behind a pillar or a tree and he would peek around in time to see her run off, enticing him in her little game of chase. The director nodded, or would talk them through how he wanted to see certain lines or emotions portrayed.

The raccoon's gaze followed the playful couple through their little chase through the courtyard. "The more I watch, the more it reminds me of how you've been having me chase after you," he said.

The tigress nodded. "You've done well at keeping up with me. On moonlit runs, and in 8-counts on the dance floor. But you're in my world now. We'll just have to see if you can maintain that pace here."

"If you're the goal, I'm up for the challenge."

"We'll see about that, won't we?"

The director must've shouted for quiet on the set, for all the talking around them ceased.

Show time.

Extras didn't have the practiced choreography the main dancers had, as their main job was to fill the background with mood and movement to add to the picture in its entirety.

Which meant Sly and Neyla had lots of room to improvise, so long as focus wasn't drawn from the ones under those multi-colored spotlights.

At first, Neyla only watched, tail swishing to the beat of the drums. Then, little by little, the music invited her in. She raised her arms, her bangles clinking audibly. Clasping both hands over her head, she slowly rolled her hips. Gradually, she turned, twisting one hip outward while lowering her arms until they were outstretched, poised at either side of her body, hands moving in measured circles.

Sly tried not to stare, but it was hard not to when such a sight was displayed before him.

Arching her body backward, which had to take some serious core strength judging by how far back she arched, she placed a hand over her face and moved it in a swift fanning motion while twisting her hip again, only much faster this time.

When she straightened herself back up, she wasn't all that surprised to see the raccoon looking as though he was seconds away from drooling. "Don't just stand there," she laughed, taking him by the hand and leading him closer. "You'll miss out on the fun."

"I…" he hesitated, ears dropping. He was a pretty good dancer, if he did say so himself. But he'd never done this kind of dancing before.

As if she could read his thoughts, she smiled up at him. "If you can tango with me all over Rajan's ballroom, then you can do this. Trust me, it's easy. All you have to do is follow my lead."

That did seem to be the norm for the two of them. She led, and he'd follow.

Turning so that her back was to his chest, she took his hands and placed them on her waist. In time with the music, she walked forward in small dipping steps. Then she turned to face him. Her hands to his chest, she took a step in the opposite direction now, leading him to step backward as she gave another inward twist of her hip, popping it several times.

When she could see Sly was getting the hang of the general pacing, a much more mischievous flare found its way into her moves. Gathering the hem of her ruffled skirt at her knees, she flipped the fabric back and forth, just like the dancers surrounding the lead couple were doing down in the courtyard. Then she let the hem drop as she circled the thief, working a little more of her glorious hip magic. Then she began to twirl, skirt fanning out. With each consecutive twirl, she brought herself closer and closer to the wrought iron balcony. When she reached it, she hopped up, taking seat on the horizontal railing and crossing one leg over the other.

It wasn't long before the raccoon reached her, and when he did, she untied the decorative scarf from around her hip and looped it around Sly's neck. With a gentle tug, she drew him closer, until their noses were brushing.

And his wide-eyed expression filled the tigress with a rather peculiar sense of satisfaction.

Looking past her dance partner, Neyla took notice of the small audience of extras they'd picked up, a few of them watching in rapt curiosity.

"Okay," said Neyla, sliding off the railing. "We might should tone it down, before we draw any more attention to ourselves."

"Hey. You started it," Sly playfully jabbed, making her grin and shrug, knowing he had her there.

Trying to do better at blending in with everyone else occupying the balcony windows overhead, they put dancing on hold in favor of watching the leads put on a fine show for the rolling cameras. And the backup dancers made the whole spectacle even more enjoyable, as they flipped their skirts this way and that, all moving together in impressive unison. Whether they were standing on the fountain's rim, lounging on the stairs, lingering by one of the palm trees, or skipping across the artificial stone pathways, the swing of their hips and the motions they made with their heads and arms were all identical. Each dancer's costume was a different color, ranging from pale pink to bright blue to canary yellow to lime green to black and gold, and more. And when they all twirled simultaneously, it resembled a bright neon rainbow.

The prop handlers had brought out crates filled with flowers of all sorts, which everyone began throwing near the end of the upbeat number. But flowers alone wouldn't be enough; no one on set was prepared for the explosion of gold streamers that started raining down from overhead. And that made the reaction that would be captured on film all the more believable.

When the director called for everyone to take five so he could run a separate scene, the mass of actors and actresses dispersed, setting out for food or a little hair restyling. Or both.

Sly followed Neyla back down the stairs, the tigress laughing as she began picking out gold streamers that had gotten stuck in her hair.

"Man they really go all out!" said Sly.

"Well, this _is_ Bollywood," Neyla replied. "It's go big or go home here."

They were so caught up in the glitz and adrenaline from minutes prior that they didn't notice the lumbering rhinoceros marching towards them.

"Random security check," he announced, holding another one of those official clipboards. "Name?"

Someone who spoke English? Now _this_ would be fun.

Sly and Neyla exchanged a glance before the tigress walked up, winking back at her date. "Anita," she answered smoothly. "Anita Newcomb."

It took everything in him not to start laughing right there as Sly caught on, stepping up beside her. "Uh, Jay," he stated, biting his tongue in an effort to keep his composure. "Jay Walker."

The rhino flipped through the many pages, realizing a little too late that those names sounded…strange. He looked up with a growl, but the two were long gone by then.

After a quick stop in wardrobe, the two snatched up their belongings and snuck out a side door and into the night.

They ran down the narrow alleyway outside, laughing until they couldn't anymore.

"Oh man I wish I could've seen his face!" Sly laughed, leaning forward and gripping his knees while trying to catch his breath. "I bet he was livid."

Panting lightly from the run, Neyla grinned. "That was amazing." Spotting a stone bench nearby, she sat on its edge, running her fingers through her hair. "I can't believe we did that!"

"Bet you've never been on a date like this before, eh?"

Giggling, but not really admitting to herself that she was doing something so absurdly girlish as giggling, she shook her head. "Can't say that I have." Biting her lip, she took in a deep inhale of the fresh night air. "You certainly know how to show a girl a good time, Cooper."

"Oh the night's not over yet. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty hungry. All that dancing really worked up an appetite." He held his hand out. "What say we go find something to eat?"

"Dinner _and_ a movie?" Violet ears flicking, she accepted his hand. "You're really going the extra mile."

"Well I did say we'd eat curry. But if you're in the mood for something else, that's fine too."

"No, I'd love some curry. It's not something you see a lot of back in Paris…I've kind of missed it, actually. Have you ever had it before?"

"Nope." Linking arms with her, he got lost for a moment in those deep emerald eyes. "But I love trying new things."

[][][]

Upon finding a restaurant to their liking, they set out for another trek through the beautiful city, which only became a livelier place to be as the night stretched on.

They'd settled on The Peshwa Pavilion, where they indulged in a fine dining experience like no other. Neyla had put her napkin to good use and wiped off that disgustingly bright pink lipstick.

And to cap off the delicious dinner, they marveled at the view of the cityscape from the rooftop, a favored spot for both of them.

"So, I take it you liked the curry?" she asked.

"It was incredible!" said Sly. "Kind of spicy, but really good. And I'm glad you suggested the wine, it was a nice choice. Strong but not overpowering."

Neyla smiled in response, eyes wandering out to the gorgeous view of Mumbai and its endless skyscrapers. "Hey," she said, pointing to something out in the distance. "See that turreted arch way out there?"

Sly looked out at the towering monument and gave a nod of his head. Though far away, it was so large that it was still visible from where they sat.

"It's called the Gateway of India. It looks out over the Arabian Sea."

"It's beautiful," Sly commented. "This whole city is. I wish we had time to see everything. I'm sure there's lots of other things to do around here. But as much as I'd like to stay, I have to get back to my gang. We've got to find the rest of those Clockwerk parts. I'm sure it's only gonna get tougher from here on out..."

Neyla kept her gaze trained on the bright city lights illuminating the horizon. "Why are you after them?" she finally asked.

Sly looked over at her. "Because Clockwerk's been a threat to Coopers for generations now. He had a direct part in the murder of my parents. I couldn't let evil like that stay alive. I thought I'd defeated him once and for all, but I guess I didn't do the job well enough the first time around. And now the Klaww Gang has the parts in their possession and I doubt they have much of a clue what they're even playing around with."

Black locks blowing in the wind, Neyla had an almost…melancholy look on her feline features. "…I've heard from reliable sources that the key to immortality is found somewhere within the Clockwerk frame."

Sly huffed a humorless laugh and shook his head. "Yea…such a stupid, pointless desire. Can't understand why anyone would want to be cursed with that."

Neyla stared back at him now. "What do you mean? An eternal fountain of youth is something we're all after…isn't it?"

"I'm not," Sly disagreed. "Why would you want that? To live forever, and watch everyone you love grow old and die while you stay the same. Sounds a lot like being on the outside looking in, if you ask me. We're here to carry out some kind of purpose, and we figure that out as we go. But tugging the strings of fate like that? I don't see how it could be fulfilling in any way. I think we should enjoy the time we're given and not ask for more. Do what you feel you're destined to do while you're here, and find happiness along the way. That's what it should be about. At least, I think so."

Silence. He was met with astonished silence. She couldn't say that she'd ever looked at it that way before.

She observed the raccoon, who now looked like he was deep in rumination. She didn't know what, but something in her compelled the tigress to inch over until their arms were touching.

"I know the location of some of the remaining parts," she murmured. "I could help you get them back."

Sly looked doubtful, lips forming a tight line on his grey muzzle. "I don't know if Interpol would be too thrilled to discover you working alongside a wanted criminal like me, Neyla."

She shook her head. "My position as Constable is strictly a cover. Working on the inside helps me get valuable information I need. But I'm not a cop. That's…that's not who I am…"

"Who are you, Neyla?"

Flecks of moonlight shimmered in her eyes, the tigress fixing her gaze on the thief's face as she picked apart his question.

Who was she?

That was a complex question, one that she wasn't sure she was ready to answer tonight.

She'd remained silent for so long, Sly had begun to wonder if she simply chose not to answer.

Then she spoke up.

"If you continue to be a trustworthy opponent in all this, you might find out."

"I don't want to be your opponent, Neyla. I've done that for years with Carmelita. It hurts. It hurts, wanting to be close to someone and knowing you can't because you'll never really be on the same side." He grasped one of her hands, carefully cradling it in his slightly larger ones. "If this is just a one-and-done date for you, then let me know right now. But if it's not, and you really feel something, like I do, then work alongside me. Help me stop Clockwerk from ever being revived. You can join me and my team, you can help us! You're second to none with that whip and with your stealth skills and mine combined, we'd be a force to be reckoned with."

She looked down at her lap, idly smoothing out her ruffled skirt. "Your team members would never trust me, Sly."

"Give them reason to." He reached up and lightly combed his fingers through her soft cheek fur, coaxing her to look back up at him. "Like you've done with me."

The gentle fingers threading through her fur had the tigress purring before she could prevent it, a sound that caused Sly to chuckle warmly.

"I'll…consider it…" she breathed, moving closer to touch her forehead to Sly's, comforted by his company. "You know...I've always considered myself good at reading others. And I usually have my mind made up about someone after the first conversation we share. But…there's a lot more to you than I first thought, Sly Cooper."

"I was just thinking the very same about you."

* * *

 _So. Much. Research went into this. Lord mercy. I just really wanted to get it right. *falls over* I sleep now._

 _I had half a crazy mind to turn this into a two-shot, but that is ONLY if a living soul out there wanted to see it. We'd be hitting up a saucy night club, all that goodness. Maybe some kissing, and other stuff. :O_

 _Otherwise, it ends here. Thanks so much for checking this out! We'll return to our regularly scheduled Sly/Carm lineup next week…hopefully…if I can get the entire chapter written down this week._

 _Byyyye! FF out!_


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